What’s in a Frizzle?

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Chicken breeds with frizzled feathers seem be very popular these days. I have four chickens with frizzled feathers. The beauty of the frizzled feathers and the remarkable look are quite attractive to many of us chicken lovers. Their puff ball appearance and the Polish chrysanthemum-looking top knots are just too adorable. So let’s explore our frizzled feathered friends a little closer and understand not only why they are frizzled but also what special care they may require.

Alice above & Myrtie below

·One of the first things to learn about frizzled chickens is “frizzle” is NOT a breed, it is a genetic characteristic of the feathers that make them so gorgeous.2 There are different breeds that are bred for the frizzle factor. I have two frizzled Tolbunt Polish, Hattie & Minnie, and two mixed breed frizzled hens, Myrtie & Alice. Myrtie probably has a bit of Hamburg in her due to her feather colors and Alice, with her puffy cheeks may have a little Easter Egger in her. They both hatched from blue eggs.

·Any breed can be frizzled if paired with a frizzle when bred but popular breeds for frizzled feathers are Cochins and Polish.3There is also a mixed breed of chickens called Sizzles that are a combination of Silkie and frizzled Cochins. The frizzle gene is bred in both bantam and standard size chickens.2

While researching the genetics of frizzle feathered chickens, I learned much in the way of the gene factor and how the chickens are bred to get those gorgeous curled feathers.

·The “F” gene (frizzle) causes the feathers to curl forward instead of laying flat like a smooth-feathered chicken. It is preferred to breed a frizzle with a smooth to get about a 50-50 rate of frizzled vs. smooth feathered chicks. 2,6

·Frizzled chickens do not fly well as their feathers do not allow for the lift. 5

·I learned that breeding two frizzles results in what is called “curlies” and these poor birds have such brittle feathers that they easily break and give the chicken the appearance of being naked or somewhat featherless.5

The origin of frizzle feathered chickens is thought to be in Asia but there are claims from Italy to India to England that frizzles were first bred in their country. Who knows? I think it’s a question like “which came first, the chicken or the egg?” 1,4

Do frizzled chickens require more or different care? From my own observations of growing all four of mine from newly hatched chicks, I believe you must be a little more careful with this breed in a couple of ways. There’s nothing overly laborious but the awareness of their care is important.

. If you are mixing your frizzles with smooth-feathered adult chickens, depending on your flock take the process slow, supervise the initial integration in progressively longer visits to make sure everyone gets along.I say this for several reasons. My first three girls, Mildred, Mabel & Pearl, are all smooth feathered, extremely spoiled and dare I say it, jealous.I couldn’t believe it but I’ve witnessed it with my own eyes.Considering Mabel hatched two of my frizzles, Alice & Myrtie, I couldn’t really fathom that she was not in favor of them being adding to the flock but she has made sure they are not above her in the pecking order.Because their feathers curl forward they leave the chicken more vulnerable to having their skin pecked and having feathers easily are pulled out.

Hattie and her frizzled feathers, napping on my lap

Both Alice & Myrtie have had some of their tail feathers pulled out during pecking order establishment.I worry that because their skin is easier to get to due to their curled feathers, they may get pecked too hard and bleed so I still keep a close eye on everybody.

. Although the frizzled feathers begin showing up within days of hatching, it seems to take a lot longer for them to fill in.

As I watched my frizzled babies grow, I’ve observed that they are much slower to sprout their frizzled feather pins. At 19 weeks, Myrtie’s head is still developing thicker feathers.Hattie is 12 weeks and still has frizzled pin feathers mixed with down on her back. Minnie is 10 weeks and while her wings, head, tail and the ridge of her back have frizzled feathers, there is down on her butt, her back and belly.With this said, I’ve noticed on the colder days here in the mountains, that Alice & Myrtie head for the roost in the coop.I’ve also noticed Hattie & Minnie used to shiver a bit when I take them out to clean my brooder.Minnie, in particular, sought out my Brinsea Eco Glow I left in the brooder due to cold nights and sat under it.Their frizzled feathers curl forward and do not trap warm air near their bodies as effectively as a smooth-feathered chicken so if you live in a colder climate, keep an eye on your frizzled chickens and make sure they have access to your coop to get inside if they are cold.

Minnie shown here sunbathing in the play pen

Frizzled chickens don’t do rain very well either. While their frizzled feathers may uncurl a bit and lay a little flatter, these feathers are also less rigid and become very limp with little protection when it’s wet and cold weather. Providing protection from the wet weather in winter is important for these feathered friends.

. If you have roosters and allow mating and hatching, your frizzled hens may suffer more from being mounted since their feather coverage is not as thick as smooth feathered hens.While I have not experienced this, a friend of mine has and the hen’s back was in awful shape. Depending on the rooster they may suffer from wounds on their back and neck. Some frizzled polish lose a few feathers from their top knots or bouffant, as I call them during mating.Using a saddle on your frizzled ladies is advisable to give them extra protection.Again, be aware that breeding a frizzle with a frizzle results in a very brittle feathered chicken. Additionally, due to the nature of the frizzle gene, it is rare that you will get two birds that look exactly alike and like Silkies, frizzled hens can frequently go broody.

Hattie who may be a Harry

Start out with healthy frizzles and educate yourself on their care. They are beautiful chickens but do require a bit of extra knowledge on your part to be healthy and happy. Look for reputable breeders of frizzles. Two such breeders are Sweet Pea Farms and Heavenly Feathered Farms. You can check with Sweet Pea Farms website at www.sweetpeafarm.netand email Heavenly Feathered Farms at mycutekitties@sbcglobal.net for the availability of fertile eggs. So that is what’s in a frizzle.

I have to disagree on the information Eric has posted based soley on my own personal experience. I have not had any situations of these qualities: shortened lifespans or unexplained deaths in over 7 years of breeding my Large Fowl Frizzles. At this juncture, (in my personal experience as a Frizzle breeder) the information is unfounded. I also do not characterize the “frizzling gene factor” as a defect. It is a “characteristic” – meaning: the feathers have the qualitity of a curl – just like poodles have curly hair, verses the labrador breed has straight hair. These “characteristics” have been PURPOSEFULLY bred into the lines of the breeds. Unwanted “characteristics” have been bred out. Wire haired breeds have forcefully been bred to carry forward the wire-haired qualities -they did not start out that way.Frizzling is a genetic quality, yes. Just like breeding for a certain genetic color, beak shape, eye color or anything else. Whether it is a chicken, breed of cat, dog, horse, food, tree or plant -any other living “thing” we choose to work with, changing a specific “feature” within these entities does not make it a defect. Sometimes it makes it better, or stronger. The many varieties and breeds of chickens have become what they are today specifically because of genetic changes by breeders over the years. We would not be able to enjoy the varieties of chickens we have UNLESS poulty enthusiasts had NOT made the changes they did worldwide.Being a breeder in the cold, harsh Northeast, I can tell you my Frizzles are very hardy and tolerate cold well. It is a proven scientific fact their metabolism and core temperature is slightly higher than that of other breeds of chickens. I always provide a clear area of snow and ice along with shelter and a heat source for my birds. They have always done well. My Large Fowl Frizzles have always proven to be happy, healthy, very affectionate and social birds – in fact – much more social and affectionate than other breeds and varieties I have. I would choose a Frizzle as a pet chicken first, over any other variety chicken. I also like the fact every Frizzle is unique. In personality as well as feather characteristics. Half of the eggs set will be frizzled, half will be smooth. You never know what you might get, and it is like Christmas each time a hatch rolls around! I do not breed Frizzle to Frizzle. The feather quality becomes too delicate. I only breed smooth to Frizzle. I also use completely unrelated smooths or Frizzles to breed. Not a bird that might have a recessive Frizzle gene in it’s background, if it has come from Frizzle parents. So, unrelated pairs. Always. This has proven to provide over the years, very happy and healthy flocks for me.Many thanks for the great article showing your enjoyment of the breed!Respectfully,Stacy MurphySweet Pea Farm

Again, I am not an expert on Frizzles or Sizzles but was simply sharing my experience. If you are thinking of breeding a smooth sizzle with a curly sizzle, I would find a reputable breeder of sizzles and have them explain the genetic outcome before attempting that mix.

Very nice article, Donna. I’m sure none of us are experts on everything and learn as we go, thanks Eric for the added information that we may have not known. Even though I have noticed that my girls have much more rounded abdomens than other hens and seem to be smaller. I do think that the type of breed of chicken makes a difference in how the chicken develops and handles this genetic deffect. Just like people, if it’s in the gene pool, some of develop the disease slower and others faster.

We received a black frizzle in a mixed batch of assorted banties we ordered a few years back and we have really taken to this bird. We also got a white frizzle in another order. These two rooster are especially nice looking birds, both of the cochin background, both blue ribbon winners and great protectors of their girls when paired up. People in Fairbanks, Alaska aren’t as familiar with them as in other places. I do have a few girls from hatcheries. One is most definitely a curly, hence her name is Curly Sue, she is lovely when her feathers are in and almost naked when they are not, she is also one of the smallest hens I have. Very sweet girl although I would say she is more on the delicate side and do not encourage breeding frizzle to frizzle. I think its terribly rough on the bird. She has been featherless, more than feathered.

Thank you Margaret. I am learning as I go and wanted to share my wonderful experience with my beautiful frizzled girls. I am not finding my girls to be smaller than my other birds who are RIR’s and a Barred Rock. Alice, at 20 weeks, is as big as my other breeds and Myrtie, a bit younger looks to be growing that way as well. My two Tolbunt Polish are too young yet for me to tell.

Your Curly Sue sounds precious and I agree I do not recommend a breeding a frizzle to a frizzle. I definitely recommend purchased any frizzle from reputable breeders or hatcheries.

You called frizzle a genetic characteristic, when in fact it’s a deffect. You didn’t mention the harmful side effects of the frizzle genes, like enlarged or damaged internal organs, extremely shortened life span,or that it’s common for them to go into their first molt and not come out of it. Over the years there have many research papers published on feathering deffects and the genetic ties between feathering and deffects lethality.

Eric, thank you for your input. While it is true that frizzle gene can cause a weakened bird, it also depends on how the specifics of the “F” and “f” gene are bred. A frizzle is considered a mutation and not a defect since chickens are specifically bred for this look. Frizzled chickens of one sort or another have been around since the 18th century and reputable breeders such as the ones mentioned in my article do not mix the genetics of two homozygotes that create “curlies” and are careful to only breed a frizzle with a smooth feathered bird.

The genetics of the frizzled chicken as The Frizzle Society of Great Britain puts it, “is a science all it’s own.” I did not want to get too deeply into the genetics in my article as it can be very confusing. So I chose to cautionagainst allowing two frizzles to mate. There is a great section in “The Genetics of Fowl” by Hutts, Chapter 5 (1949) on frizzle genetics if anyone is up for some “light” reading.

I do not claim to be an expert on frizzled chickens but wanted to share my experience with my sweet-natured, beautiful girls.

I am happy to see the reply from Eric. I think some things should just be left alone. When it endangers the animals we should use caution not to be messing around with things that will bring harm to the animals in the long run. We should be interested in caring for healthy and happy hens.

I was thinking of getting a frizzle rooster to add to my flock of hens (he is a freebie). But being weather sensitive, I think I will pass and get a hardier type. I have buff brahams, orpingtons and wyandottes, about 5 months old now. They are a close knit flock and I don’t think the frizzle is the right match for them. Good article!

Thank you Sandra. All four of mine are still young, depending on where you live, if you really wanted a frizzle just make sure that they can get inside their coop when needed. I know plenty of people that have frizzled chickens and live in North where it really gets cold. This is meant to educate on their care not discourage having a frizzled chicken.